Cause of Tampa train derailment still unknown

Tampa, FL -- The cause of a train derailment at the Port Of Tampa Thursday morning is still unknown, but officials say the train was only going three to five miles an hour when 12 cars jumped the tracks.

The derailment happened around 1 a.m. with three cars spilling about 4,500 gallons of ethanol.To help keep the flammable liquid from catching fire, Tampa Fire Rescue sprayed foam on the ethanol.

Tampa Fire Rescue Capt. Lonnie Benniefield says giant cranes from Nashville and Atlanta are being brought in to clear the toppled cars. But Benniefield stresses they're not out of the woods yet.

"You can have somebody get injured as well as there could be some sparks but in any event we're going to be prepared for whatever might happen," Bennniefield told reporters Thursday afternoon.

He says crews will work through the night adding the clean-up will likely continue well into tomorrow afternoon because it will take up to two hours to remove each derailed car.